TitleInterview with Jean Nuchtern, 1979
NamesNuchtern, Jean (Interviewee)Matheson, Katy (Interviewer)
CollectionDance Oral History Project
Dates / OriginDate Created: 1979-03-05Date Created: 1979-04-23
Library locationsJerome Robbins Dance DivisionShelf locator: *MGZTCO 3-585
TopicsGraham, MarthaMaslow, SophieNuchtern, JeanGraham, Geordie, 1900-1988Martha Graham Dance Company
GenresOral historiesInterviews
NotesAdditional physical form: For transcript of interview, see *MGZMT 3-585.Content: Interview with Jean Nuchtern conducted by Katy Matheson on March 5 and April 23, 1979, in New York (N.Y.) for the Oral History Project of the Jerome Robbins Dance Division of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.Source characteristics: Sound quality is excellent.Bibliographic history: Title supplied by cataloger.Venue: Recorded by Katy Matheson 1979, March 5 and April 23 New York (N.Y.)Funding: The conservation and cataloging of this recording was made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. The support of the National Endowment for the Arts is also gratefully acknowledged.
Physical DescriptionAudiocassetteExtent: 3 audio cassettes (approximately 3 hr., 42 min.) ; quarter-track; 1.875 ips
DescriptionStreaming audio file 1, March 5, 1979 (approximately 48 minutes). Jean Nuchtern with Katy Matheson speaks about her early ballet training and performing; college, graduate school, and her decision to become a dancer; studying at Martha Graham's school [Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance] on scholarship; her impressions of Martha Graham; reading literary sources in preparation for a role, including anecdotes about Paul Taylor and the role of Aegisthus in Clytemnestra and Noemi Lapezon in the role of Martyr [in Seraphic dialogue]; her experiences as a scholarship student; her first experience dancing in a Graham work, a revival of Primitive mysteries; the body type and technique of the veteran Graham dancers compared with hers; Graham's feelings about reconstructions [ends abruptly but continues on steaming audio file 2].
Streaming audio file 2, March 5, 1979 (approximately 48 minutes). Jean Nuchtern speaks with Katy Matheson about Martha Graham and her behavior at rehearsals including of Graham's work Primitive mysteries; Sophie [Maslow]; working with Maslow compared with working with Bert [Bertram Ross]; her time as a member at the Martha Graham Dance Company including how her personal life affected her dancing; leaving her marriage and the company; working with Graham in Cortege of eagles; Graham's work Dancing ground including Robert Cohan's substantial contributions to the choreography; having to learn seven new dances immediately after entering the company; working with Ethel Winter; Graham's relationship with her dancers including Bertram Ross and Paul [Taylor]; [ends abruptly but continues on streaming audio file 3].
Streaming audio file 3, March 5, 1979 and April 23, 1979 (approximately 48 minutes). Jean Nuchtern speaks with Katy Matheson about Martha Graham and her relationship with her dancers including Bertram Ross; differences in her approach to roles for men and women; being asked to leave the company including her feelings about this [end of March 5, 1979 session and beginning of April 23, 1979 session]; Nuchtern speaks with Matheson about the period when she first joined the company; learning seven new works including Clytemnestra; touring in England and in Portugal [ends abruptly but continues on streaming audio file 4].
Streaming audio file 4, April 23, 1979 (approximately 48 minutes). Jean Nuchtern speaks with Katy Matheson about being on tour with the Martha Graham Dance Company in Portugal; Helen McGehee; the so-called war between ballet and modern dance including Graham's position; yoga and Graham technique; more on her experiences with the company including the tour in Africa and the residency at Connecticut College; her personal experiences with Graham; working in the administrative office of the school and (briefly) Geordie Graham [ends abruptly but continues on streaming audio file 5].
Streaming audio file 5, April 23, 1979 (approximately 30 minutes). Jean Nuchtern speaks with Katy Matheson about working in the office of Martha Graham's school, including the amounts teachers were paid; Geordie Graham including her relationship with Martha; the physical appearance of the office; her impressions of Louis Horst; an anecdote about Isamu Noguchi, Martha Graham, and a prop he created for Cortege of eagles; LeRoy Leatherman and the administration of the company.
Type of ResourceSound recording
LanguagesEnglish
IdentifiersRLIN/OCLC: 80730623NYPL catalog ID (B-number): b12118390Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): 13b13cb0-78be-0136-9243-453f8d1f4a7d
Rights StatementThe copyright and related rights status of this item has been reviewed by The New York Public Library, but we were unable to make a conclusive determination as to the copyright status of the item. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use.
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